Combination desk and couch



July 3, 1962 Filed Feb. 9, 1961 D. BENDELL COMBINATION DESK AND COUCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

DAVID BENDELL BY ATTORNEY July 3, 1962 D. BENDELL 3,041,633

COMBINATION DESK AND coucn Filed Feb. 9, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. DAVID BENDELL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,041,633 COMBINATION DESK AND COUCH David Bendell, 7240 SW. 125th St, Miami, Fla. Filed Feb. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 88,124 3 Claims. (Cl. -2)

This invention is directed to articles of furniture and is more particularly directed to a combination desk couch and bed.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a combination desk, and couch having a track for readily positioning the couch from its closed to open position for use of the couch as a bed by an easy pull on the couch and without the danger of tearing or fraying the fabric of the couch.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination desk and couch which is a compact article of furniture taking up very little room space and usable as a desk and seating purposes during the daytime and as a comfortable bed at night.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination desk and couch with a track system constructed integrally with the desk thereby rendering it very simple to install or move about in a room, and obviating the possibility of wearing out a rug by the rollers or casters that roll in the track system as the couch is shifted to its various positions.

A still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination desk and couch as described above which is simple in construction, economical in cost and readily converted to its manifold uses by a simple pull or push of the couch.

With these and other objects in view, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combination desk and couch constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 with the bed shown in dotted lines at the Various positions taken from the closed or couch position to its open or bed position.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom perspective view of the bed spring support.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view showing the bed 4 tion the couch 11 at its open or closed position as is explained in detail hereinafter.

The desk 10 comprises a top wall 12 which overhangs a front wall 13 to permit room for a persons knees as he sits at the front of the desk 10, with a drawer 14 slidably positioned in an opening formed in the front wall 13 at the upper left hand portion thereof. Since it is intended that the desk 10 be placed in the corner of a room, only one side wall 15 is provided while the other side wall and rear wall are unfinished. However, if the desk 10 is placed against a single wall, then a side wall opposite the side wall 15 must be provided. Rear legs 16 extend from the top wall 12 to the floor upon which the desk 10 is positioned while at the front wall, foot portions 17 are secured to the inner surface of front wall 13 thereby supporting the front wall a short distance off the floor. The side wall 15 is provided with an opening 116 for receiving the bed or couch 11.

Positioned on the floor and extending between the foot portions 17 and the rear legs 16 is a pair of cross members 18, 118 having upwardly extending end portions 19 which are secured by screws 20 to the foot portions 17 and the rear legs 16.

Means are provided for guiding the sliding movement of the couch 11 comprising tracks 21, 22 and 23 mounted on and secured as by welding and the like to the cross members 18, 118. The tracks 21, 22 and 23 are formed of U-shaped channel members. The track 21 is positioned longitudinally of the desk 10 adjacent the rear edge thereof with one end resting on the cross member 118 and the other end extending over the cross member v18 and beyond theopening 116 in the side wall-15. The second track 22 extends along the front edge of the desk 10 with one end secured on the cross member-118 and the other end extending a short distance beyond the cross member 18 where the third track 23 is joined to the end of the track 22 at approximately right angle. The other end of the track 23 terminates at the track 21 where the tracks 21 and 23 are welded together, the tracks 22 and 23 forming one continuous path for a swivel ball bearing 25. At the juncture of the channel members 22 and 23 there is a depressed portion 26 formed by punching a circular opening in the base portion 27 of the track. The depression 26 forms a pivot for the swivel ballbean'ng 25 as is explained in detail hereinafter. Adjacent the other end of the track22 there are two depressed openings 28 and 29 which form stops for the swivel ball bearing 25.

The couch 11 consists of a couch frame 30 uponwhich are placed the conventional box springs and mattress. The couch frame 30 is supported above the floor by casters 3 1, 32 and 33 secured to the lower surface of the frame 30 at each of the corners thereof as best shown by FIGURE 4. At the fourth corner of the couch frame 30 is secured .the swivel ball bearing 25 which is rotatably mounted in a housing 44 that is secured to the lower surface of the couch frame 30. The [housing 44 is provided with a ball bearing race 45 for supporting a plurality of small sized ball bearings 46 in contact relation with'the swivel ball bearing 25.

The caster 3-1 is positioned normally in the channel member or track 21 while the caster 32 is in alignment with the track 21. Theswivel ball bearing 2'5 is PO51".

tioned in the track 22 when the couch 11 is in its closed position with the caster 33 in alignment wim the track 22. In order to prevent the couch llfrom swaying from side to side when moving the couch from one position to another, a pair of rollers 34 are rotatably and adjustably secured by a pin 35 to a block 36 which is secured to the lower surface of the couch frame 30 in alignment with the casters 31 and '32. The rollers 34 which are received in the track 21 prevent any sidewise movements of the couch 11 upon changing the position of the couch 11; which movement would be caused by the casters .31 and 32 as they roll along the track 21. if the couch 11 were permitted to move sideways as the couch 11 is being rolled in or out ofthe opening 16 in the desk .10, the fabric 37 covering the sides of couchll would soon be frayed and tattered. According to the present construction, the couch 11 slide in a straight line so that the small clearance between the opening 116 of the side wall .15 and the outer fabric 37 on the couch 11 is ample to prevent wear of the fabric 37. In order to permit the couch .11 to swing or pivot on the swivel 25 an opening 40 is formed :on the inner side wall of the track 21 and an .arcuate lip 41 :formed thereon. ,7 A bolster pillow 38 is supported by a support bar 39 whose lower end is secured to the end of the track 21 while its upper end is secured to the bolster pillow 38.

In the normal use of my combination desk, couch and bed, the desk and the couch 11 are usually found in -'a corner of a room or against a wall. .The desk 10 with the track system 21,22, 23 attached thereto is first placed as a unit on the door at its desired position and the couch 11 is then placed onto the tracks 21 and 2 2 and slid inwardly through the opening 116 to the closed position shown by FIGURE 1 and indicated by dotted lines as positioned-A m FIGURE '2. 7

When it is desired to swing the couch 11 out to its open position, all that need be done is pull gently on the outer end of the couch 1'1 to cause the caster 31 and rollers 34 to slide along the track'21 while the swivel ball bearing 25 slides out of the depression 29 and along the track 22 until the depression 26 has been reached. The

swivel ball bearing, 25 willbe received by the depression 26 and further pulling on the couch 11 will cause the oouchll -to swing'in an are as shown by the dotted line position B in FIGURiEZ. The caster31 now roll out of the track 21 through the opening and assume a to accommodate the bolster pillow 38 alongside the desk 10 and permit an equal space for sitting purposes.

It is readily noted that due to the construction of my combination desk and couch, the tracks 21, 22 and 23 which receive the rollers 34, caster 31 and swivel ball 25 will compel the couch 11 to move in and out of the desk Ill in a prescribed path without any wobbling or sidewise movement so that at no time does the couch engage the side wall 15 to cause the fabric 37 to become worn or frayed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

position approximately in alignment-with the track 23 when the couch '11 will have assumed the position shown by dotted lines and indicated by position C.

Now the couch is pushed in th direction of the bolster pillow 38. The swivel "ball bearing 25 will leave the depression 26 and slide along the track 23 until'the end of the couch 11 abuts against the "bolstenpfllow 38 and the couch 11 has taken the position indicated by dotted lines as at D. This position being the open or bed position-of the couch 1 1.

When it isdesired to return the couch 11 to its closed positiomthe couch '11 is pulled forwardly to cause the swivel ball bearing 25 to slide along the track 23 until the swivel ball bearing 25 is received -by the depression 26.

Then the couch llxis swung in an arc the depression 26 as the center ofthe turning movement until thecaster "31 r olls through the opening 40 and slides onto 'thettrack 21. Now the rollers'34 and the caster-32 are'-'in.a1ign-' ment withthe track 21 so'that a slight push on'the free end of the couch 11' will cause the couch to slide on the tracksll and 2 2' through the opening 116 and'into the desk 10 the swivel ball bearing 25 is received by the depression 28. couch is now in'its closed position.

The depression v2 9 is made availableifor receiving the swivel ball bearing 25 in the event theb'olster pillow 38' V were placed against the sidewall li'ofthe desk 10. This permits ,the'couch 11 when in itsfclosed position toes.- tendQ outwardly of the desk 111)} a'slightly greater distance 1. A combination desk and couch comprising a desk having a front wall, a side wall and an overhanging top wall mounted on said front and side walls, a drawer slidably mounted on said front wall below said overhanging top wall, said side wall having an opening, a plurality of cross members secured at their ends to said desk and extending in a plane beneath said top wall substantially parallel to said side Wall, a pair of channel shaped track members extending transversely and secured to said cross members, said track members being spaced and substantially parallel to each other with one end extending through said opening in said side wall, a third channel shaped track member connected to one of said pair of channel shaped track members at said one end and extending substantially right angle thereto in the direction of said other of said pair of channel shaped track members, said other of said pair of channelshaped track members having an inner side wall portion and an opening in said inner side wall portion beyond the position of said opening in said side wall of said desk, a couch frame, said couch frame having a caster secured to its lower surface at three of its corner portions, a swivel member secured at 'its .fourth corner portion, roller means mounted on said couch frame in alignment with said casters mounted at two of said four portions, one of said casters and said roller means being received by said other of said pair of channel shaped track members while said swivel member is received by said one of said pairof channel members whereby upon the outward sliding movement of said couch frame, said track members will guide said couch frame through said opening in said desk and upon the arrival ofsaid swivel member at said third channel shaped track member, said couch frame may swing through an arc of substantially 90 degrees with said roller means passing through said opening in said "side wall portion of said channel shaped track member. .2. The structure as recited by claim 1 in combination with 'said'o'ne of said pair of channel shaped track members having a bottom wall and a depression in said bottom wall at said oneend for receiving said swivel member when said couch frame has been withdrawn from said desk.

3. A combination desk and couch comprising a desk having a side wall, an opening in said side Wall, cross members mounted beneath said desk and extending in a plane substantially parallel to said side wall, a pair of ch'annelshaped track members extending transversely and secured to said cross members, said track members being spaced and substantially parallel to each other with one end extending through said opening' in said side wall, a third channel shaped track member connected to one of saidpair of channel shaped track member at said one end and extending substantially right angle thereto in the direction of said other of said pair of channel shaped track members, said other of said pair of channel shaped track members having an inner side wall portion and an open- 5 6 and said roller means being received by said other of said References Cited in the file of this patent pair of channehshaped track members while said swivel UNITED STATES PATENTS member 1s received by sa1d one of said pair of channel 5 members whereby upon the outward sliding movement of 24578 Vlna Torre said couch frame, said track members will guide said 5 269,723 Sen 2 couch frame through said opening in said desk and upon 52%;; i3 1 the arrival of sa1d swivel member at said third channel 2:899:691 Davis et la-ll g 1959 shaped track member, said couch frame may swing through an arc of substantially 90 degrees with aid roller 2955297 Balley 1960 means passing through said opening in said side wall por- 0 FOREIGN PATENTS tion of said channel shaped track member. 197 9 Austria May 7 5 

